


Teach Me

by AdariYashimoto, HelenaTheIsley



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Detective Harry Potter, High School Teacher Tom Riddle, Kinda of Kid Fic; there's a lot of kiddies, M/M, Mob Boss Tom Riddle, Multi, Rating May Change, Single Parent Harry Potter, Single Parent Tom Riddle
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-24
Updated: 2019-10-24
Packaged: 2021-01-02 12:07:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,252
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21161408
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AdariYashimoto/pseuds/AdariYashimoto, https://archiveofourown.org/users/HelenaTheIsley/pseuds/HelenaTheIsley
Summary: Harry Potter knows that there’s something off about is his new neighbor, mostly because nobody can be that perfect?! But, no! The man was completely perfect, not even a fucking hair out of the place! And he was a fucking awesome father too! Anyway, their kids start to play together after a fight between James and Artemis (Tom’s kid).  So now, Artemis, Scorpius and Albus kind of become the Golden Trio of their own, and Harry and Tom have to deal with their shenanigans  and consequently each other. (And their growing crushs on one  another when they are ready to face it).





	Teach Me

It has been two years since Ginny had died in that awful accident and two years since that arrogant brat had moved next to him. Sure, the man did nothing to irritate Harry directly, but his simple presence got on Harry’s nerves, for some still unknown reason. His light-blue eyes just made Harry fully aware of everything and anything, then, everything made Harry explode. 

Tom Marvollo Riddle was the most unnerving person that he knew, even if he did nothing to be called that, except be perfect. His hair always perfect, always seemed refreshed and clean, it didn’t look like he had a seven years old kid or that he spent his days teaching lord knew how many teens. . Because, yes!. Of course, Tom was a fucking professor and, to make it worse, an awesome one. Damn thing, even his daughter, Artemis, is perfect! She was a mini-fucking-genius, for God’s sake! Always polite, she squandered manners wherever she went, just like her father. 

“You know, if you keep glaring at him like that the poor man is going to have a hole in his head pretty soon.”, His best friend said from beside him. 

“But, Mione!” Harry whined, momentarily looking at the woman, before returning to the man playing with his daughter. “I know there’s something wrong about him.” 

“Like what, Harry?” Hermione looked ahead, at the kids playing over there. “Rose, Lily, be careful”

“Yes, Mom!” Rose answered while Lily just smiled to her, she didn't look like she was going to pay any more attention to danger than she already was. 

“He can have three nipples.” Ron shrugged, eating an ice cream with passion. “Or a sixth toe.”

“Or a micropenis.” Harry suggested, still looking to the professor, who was playing housekeeping with Artemis, it was just a little bit disgusting. The trio watched him, in silence. 

“He doesn’t look like someone who has a micropenis…” Hermione said, after sometime, unsure. 

“I know!” Harry almost screamed, running his hands through his face, almost knocking his glasses out. Knowing Riddle, the bastard, had a great cock. “He has to have some flaw! Something! Anything! Nobody should be this perfect without at least one flaw.” He threw his hands to the air. 

Ron poked his side, making a face.

“Yeah, Ron?” The green-eyed man turned to the ginger one, putting his glasses back on. 

“Al is going to talk to Riddle.” He pointed at kid, which was running to where Riddle and Artemis were. 

“What the hell?” Harry got up, walking fast to Albus. “ Al! Al! “ He called for the boy, reaching for him. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing, dad. I was just going to ask Artemis to play with me.” Al shrugged, looking at his father like he was crazy. “Can't I?” The boy asked slowly. 

“Oh, of course, you can. You go, and have fun! Sorry” Harry let go of the boy, glancing at Riddle, awkwardly, he was staring him like he was some kind of contagious disease. “ Hi…”

“Hello.” Tom greeted, lifting an eyebrow, getting up. “How are you, Potter?” He offered a hand to the smaller, smiling charmingly.  _ As always the smug sucker. _

“I’m fine. And you?” He shook the other’s hand. Al poked his side “ So can Albus play with your daughter?”

“If she wants to.” Tom looked down to her, giving her the choice.

“Can I, dad?” The girl asked, hopeful. “Wouldn’t you be lonely?”

“No, dear. I will be just fine.” He reassured her, smiling. 

“Alright, then.” She smiled, pulling Tom down before kissing his cheek. “Love you.”

“I love you too.” Tom kissed her head, before letting her ran with Albus. “So, do you always try to protect your kids like that or is it just with me” Tom asked, starting to gather Artemis’s dolls in a black backpack. 

“What do you mean?” Harry furrowed his eyebrows. 

“You have always seem reluctant to let your children play with mine. Almost as you didn’t trust me or Artemis with them.” Tom held the backpack at his side, eyeing Harry waiting for the probable excuse. 

“Oh, no, it’s nothing like that. I just don’t want them bothering you.” Harry tried, not knowing if telling the truth was the wisest of choices. 

“Please, don’t insult my intelligence, Potter, I  _ know _ you simply don’t like me.” Tom scuffed, rolling his eyes. “And extended this dislike to my innocent daughter.”

Harry opened his mouth to say something, anything, but there was a scream from the other side of the playground. He looked back in time do see Artemis throw a punch at James’s face, Draco’s son behind her, Albus holding him back. He saw James falling hard on the ground, hands darting to his nose, eyes shut.. 

“James!” Harry ran to him at the same time Tom screamed for Artemis, running beside him. “Are you alright?” He asked, checking up on his son. Thank God his nose wasn’t broken nor bleeding, that would have been way worse. “What happened?” He asked while Tom tried to calm Artemis down.

“You are not going to tell me anything until you calm down.” He was kneeling in the same level as the girl while Draco helped Scorpius and Albus get up. 

“I was playing with Scorpius, right, and then he fell, and then she comes in along with Albus, punching me.” James explained, while Harry pulled Al closer, checking him over. 

“You what?!” Artemis looked at James angrily almost screaming in her rage. “You liar! Dad, he is…!”

“Artemis!” Tom interrupted her, harshly. “Breathe! Calm down before telling me anything. And do so with some decorum.” He rubbed her hands, breathing deeply along her. Harry looked at them, baffled, thinking about how the hell the man managed to calm that literal ball of energy. Almost a minute later, Artemis was back to her normal self, what meant, calmer than every kid in that playground. 

“I'm better.” She finally said quietly. “Scorpius was reading in that bench over there…” She pointed to a wooden bench below an old and big tree. “But,then me and Albus finally convinced him to come to play catch with us and Rose, but she didn’t want to, so she quit. When we finally convinced him to keep playing, this idiot came and said that his brother were too good to play with a Malfoy or a Riddle. When I told him to go way, he laughed and pushed me and Scorpius while pulling Albus closer. Al didn’t want to go with him, so, he tried to free himself. By this time, I was up and angry and when Al got away, I ended up punching that brat in the face.” Artemis explained, trying to control the rage that once more grow inside her. “But I had a reason!”

“I see.” Tom turned to Harry, before looking at James. “She coming punch you, uhm?” He repeat, eyes like knives while looking at Harry. “Does your son always lie like that?”

“I really hope not.” Harry looked down to James. “Wanna have a guess about your situation, young man?”

“Not in trouble?” James smiled, weakly.

“Have another.” Harry growled, between his teeth. 

“In trouble?” James sighed, smile disappearing, completely.

“We have a champion!” The older Potter said, false joy in his voice. “I’m sorry for what he said, Draco and Mr. Riddle, I don’t know where he learned that.” Harry let a sight out, rubbing his neck. 

“But I didn’t say that! I just said that they are too cool to play with Albus.” James tried to explain himself. “Just that…”

“Just that?” Harry almost screamed. “That’s it! We are going home and having a serious conversation, young man. Lily, come on.” He called out for the younger one. 

“Harry, wait!” Tom reached out for Harry’s shoulder, holding him in place. “Please, Harry, you first have to listen to your children before listening to the others. Not the contrary.” He pulled Albus closer. “Why don’t we go to your house and try to find the truth?” He put that smile that could fool even God in his lips once again. “And, if the little Scorpius want to, he and Mr. Malfoy could come too? 

“What do you think, Scorp? Do you want to?” Draco asked, looking down to his son, who only nodded shyly. “We'd like to see this through.” Malfoy put his hand on the boy’s head. 

“So, are you with your car or to you want a ride?” Harry asked, turning to him. 

“I have my car, but thank you anyway.” The blonde smiled, leaving. “See you soon.”

“Then, until there.” Tom smiled once more, turning to leave while Artemis waved goodbye at Albus and Harry cheerfully, and yet still an angry look in her eyes. 

Harry looked for a little while at the path the older man had gone, before turning to where his friends were, both looking worried and with Rose and Hugo in their arms. He shrugged at their inquisitive eyes and kept walking towards them. 

“I'll call you later to explain everything.” He said to them, getting his kids things. “I promise” He kissed Hermione goodbye in the cheek and side-hugged Ron, before leading to the car, holding Albus and James’ hands and Lily holding Albus’ other hand. 

“Bye, bye.” She waved at Rose and Hugo sadly.

  
  


In the end, Artemis and James were the only ones to get grounded as they were the reason for the situation to escalate to throwing punches. Yes, Albus and Artemis wanted to play with Scorpius and had nailed it, even though Rose prefered to not get involved in the situation (Clever girl, Harry thought). No, James didn’t say that the Potters were better nor that Albus weren’t that cool to play with them, the poor boy just said that the area were the cool kids area and Albus, Artemis and Scorpius were not “cool”. Scorpius tried to defend his new friends, but ended up getting pushed to the ground, so Artemis went to fight James while Albus checked up on Scorpius. She just punched James because he said that no girl could win over him and was still mourning because his nose didn’t broke with it.

“I’m so sorry, Draco.” Harry said to the blonde one, sighing. “Me and James are going to have a serious conversation about what he did today, not only with Al, but with Scorpius too.” He turned to the little child, still hiding behind Draco’s legs. “And speaking of him…” He kneeled in front of him. “I wanted to thank you for standing up for Al. That was very brave of you.”

“But James made me fall.” Scorpius said shyly. 

“But you  _ did  _ stand, that’s all that matters. You are brave and loyal, and I hope that you stay that way.” Harry smiled fondly. 

“I will.” Scorpius nodded, vigorously. “I promise.” He stepped away from his father's legs, chest stuffed proudly. 

“I know.” Harry smiled one last time before turning to Riddle, who was still talking with Artemis, while Albus went to talk with Scorpius happily taking his friend’s hand and pulling him to the window. 

“I was just trying to defend Albus.” Artemis pouted, arms crossed. 

“I know, dear, but there was no need to punch James in the face.” Tom sighed. He sighed a lot for all that Harry knew, and usually because of Artemis. “Tomorrow at school I want you to say you're sorry to James.”

“But…” She started, but Tom interrupted her again. 

“No “but”, Artemis. You have to do it right, alright?” Tom breathe deeply. 

“Okay, dad.” Artemis nodded, looking down. 

“Excuse me.” Harry touched Tom’s shoulder. “There's no need for her to say sorry to James. She just tried to defend my other son.” He smiled to Artemis. “By the way, thank you, dear, for defending my son.”

“He’s my friend.” She shrugged, still looking at the ground. “I protect my friends.”

“I’m glad to hear that.” Potter kneeled in front of her, searching her eyes. “So, believe me, you don’t have to apologize to James, you did nothing wrong.” He smiled once more, before turning to Tom. “Your daughter was spectacular out there today.”

“But she can’t always punch people or lie to free her friends.” Tom got back on his feet, holding Artemis’s hand. “Anyway I’m glad that you listened to Albus and James before listening to the others.” He smiled, that charming one that made Harry have bad thoughts. “Now, excuse us.” He started to leave, only stopping to say goodbye at Draco and Scorpius. After he was gone, Harry ordered James to go take a bath, and after him Albus. He and Draco settled down to talk. 

“What do you think of Riddle?” Harry asked, petting Lily’s hair, who was curled up in his lap sleeping. 

“He is a good father for all I could see.” Draco answered, observing Albus and Scorpius playing with their action figures. “Artemis is a good kid, maybe a bit too polite.” He smiled to the joy and laugh of his son. “But I heard that he is a bit rigid with her education. Always wanting A’s.”

“ I see. Nothing more?” Harry turned to him. 

“No. I don’t know from where he came or where he worked before moving here. He's like a ghost.” Draco answered, taking a sip from the cup of tea in his hand. “And we know ghosts always have a horrible past.”

“That’s what our work taught us, uhm?” Harry smiled, looking upwards as the shower was turned off. 

“Can you look Albus and Lily for a moment? Just while I check up on James.” Harry said, carefully getting up from his seat. 

“Yeah, no worries. Take your time.” Draco said, settling Lily in his own lap, she slept on, undisturbed.

  
  


After that day Artemis, Albus and Scorpius were always together in school and consequently at each other's houses, usually at Albus’, but anyway. Everybody looked at them and saw the next Golden Trio, always together and in trouble, almost always because of Al ideas, Harry was half proud, half exasperated. Mostly, the evenings were wasted at the living room of Harry’s house, plotting what they would do next, usually nothing good.

Harry didn’t mind having Artemis and Scorpius over to play with Albus, they played with Lily as well, mostly because James insisted saying that he was too “grown-up” to play with the kids. Which was a nonsense, but who was Harry to question the life decisions of an eight years old boy? The only problem for him was that Tom disappeared as soon as Artemis stepped in, only coming back when it was already dark to get her. Not that he wanted his company, it was just rude… Draco stayed for a cuppa sometimes, is just common courtesy. 

Until, one day, Tom offered to watch the kids. Harry thought it was strange, obviously, but he let it happen anyway, after all, he could use that time alone to clean the house and reorganize some things. Especially Albus’ room, that boy didn’t know what cleaning meant, even after Harry gave him the dictionary description of it.

At the end of the day, Harry could swear that the house was new besides fresh, once the house his parents lived in before they decided to travel around the world, living new cultures and meeting new people. 

The worst part of his cleaning spree, as hard as it is to believe, was his own room. But everything ended up clean and beautiful and he took a well-deserved shower with a good soak after. He was about to go get his trio of hooligans back when he saw Artemis and Lily running towards the house. 

“No, no, no.” Lily held his hand as Artemis pulled his shirt.

“Please, Mr. Potter, wear something else!” She pleaded, pulling him back inside. “You look awful!” Harry looked down to the white shirt and black sweatpants mildly offended. 

“What’s wrong with it?” He asked as the two kids pushed him upstairs.

“Don’t ask, just change in something nicer!” Artemis demanded, hands on her hips. “Now!”

“Alright! Alright!” He laughed, going into his room. Some minutes later, he came back out wearing a blue jeans and a red long-sleeved shirt. 

“Better!” Artemis clapped him applauded him while Lily made a face.

“I don’t like it!” She pouted, crossing her arms. “You look old!”

“Lily!” The other kid turned to her while Harry giggled behind them. “You look fine, Mr. Potter!”

“He does not!” Lily intervened, angry. “I don’t like it.”

“Alright, dear, what do you want me to wear?” Harry picked her up, smiling

“The blue shirt Mama gave you for your birthday.” She hugged his neck, still pouting. “Pretty pleeease!”

“Alright! Alright! Okay.” Harry held a hand out for Artemis. “Come on, let’s go to my room.” He placed the two in the king-sized bed before changing to the blue shirt that Ginny had got him for his thirty anniversary.

Almost seven months before the accident that took his wife. He always thought that wearing that shirt would make him feel sick or sad, wearing any clothes that Ginny gave him usually did. But dressing it up today, he was just feeling a little dizzy like he should be doing something but forgot what exactly. - How do you know your mama gave this to me, little pumpkin? - He smiled, turning to the two kids, the feeling a cold buzz on his mind. 

“Auntie Mione say you didn't wear anything Mama gave you, especially the blue one.” Lily hold the hem of the shirt, looking down. “I thought it would be a good thing for you to wear for your party.” She explained. 

“Lily!” Artemis turned to her quickly as Harry asked. 

“What party?” Besotted by the girls.

“Your BFE party!” Lily exclaimed, looking up quickly. 

“B-F-E? What does it mean?”

“Best Father Ever!” Artemis explained, throwing all the secrecy out the window. “We have been planning it for weeks! It's a surprise.”

“Even James helped!” Lily completed, bouncing up and down. 

“That would be an understatement.” Artemis scuffed, crossing her arms, just like her father. “I'll admit that that brat really knows how to organize a party.” She murmured, looking aside.

“Well, then, I think we are already late to my party.” Harry smiled, picking Lily up and helping Artemis get down the bed. 

“Oh, remember to act surprised.” Artemis said suddenly, a few steps away from Tom’s house. 

“Yeah!” Lily agreed. “Because it is a surprise.” She whispered, like it was a secret.

“Oh!” Harry made an understanding sound. “Alright, then, I'll do my very best.” He whispered back before opening the door. “Albus? James?” He called out in the dark, right before everybody jumped out from their hideouts, lights darting on. “Holy God!” He screamed, almost letting Lily fall. 

“Daddy!” She embraced his neck as a laugh came out of his mouth, who had the idea to jump and scare an officer?

“What is this?” He asked Hermione, his eyes wide while putting Lily down.

“A “Best Father Ever” party!” Albus answered taking Lily’s hand. “Come on, Lily, Scorpius and me saved a piece of chocolate for you.” He whispered before running to the kitchen with her and Artemis right behind them. 

“Artemis.” Tom called her when they passed over, running.

“Yes, dad?” She stopped in her heels, turning in time to see he kneeling down. 

“A kiss.” He taped at his cheek. “Alright, go get your chocolate.” He smiled after she kissed him. Harry smiled at the sweet scene before turning to talk to Hermione and Draco. 

Apparently, his kids had been planning it for weeks with Tom and Hermione’s help. They wanted to thank everything he had done for them. He may or may not cried that night as Lily, Albus and James brought a big chocolate cake with “Best Father Ever” on it, they even bought presents for him. James got him a new headphone with cat ears, Albus gave him a personalized notebook with various photos of them inside and Lily draw the four of them… And their cat, that little adorable killing machine. Hell yes, he cried when the kids gave him their presents and the first piece of cake. It made him feel… Loved. And recognized, like they knew and understood how hard it was for him.

By the end of the party, all the kids were sleeping on Tom’s enormous sofa (“It’s like he’s trying to compensate something”, said Fred to Harry. “Yeah, having a seven years old kid”, Harry replied. But was glad someone else agreed with him) and the adults were chatting at kitchen, drinking from an awesome bottle of wine that Tom got from his adega. Because, yes, the man had a adega in the house. Tom said that the house already had one when he purchased it, yeah right, the elderly couple that lived there had a thing for wine. 

“But didn’t explain how the hell he buyed this wine.” Draco retorted, taking a sip. “This fucking thing is ridiculously expensive. I didn't think he was able to afford it with a high school teacher's salary.” He took another sip. “Plus the kid, they're expensive little shits.”

“I didn’t even know that this house was for sale!” Ron added, surprised. “Thought it was from that old family from around, can’t quite remember the name right now, though.”

“Maybe we are just overthinking it.” Harry shrugged, looking to the man covering the kids with a silver blanket. “Somebody could have given it to him as a present, or he inherited the bottle. Or the house, who knows.” He shrugged once more, making the other two laugh at the comment.

“Inherit a bottle of wine...This could only be a mockery, a fucking terrible joke.” Ron snorted. 

“He could have been a horrible son.” Draco added. “ 'Father, you are looking infamous today.' ” He mocked, making Ron giggle. “Or…”

“ 'Mom, our great-grandmother called and said she wants her dress back.' ” Ron said between giggles, imitating Tom’s bass tone. 

“You two are impossible.” Harry tried not to snort, as they continued imitating the man. “We are going to get kicked out and he’s going to adopt our children.” He hid a smile behind his glass.

‘He could, though. But he wouldn’t.” Ron smiled, trying to control himself.

“But he could.” Draco said serious, before the two of them broke into a mess of giggles and laughs. 

“Children.” Harry snorted too, not noticing Tom approaching them.

“Harry?” Tom smiled to him, touching his shoulder. “Can you come with me?”

“Err… Sure?” He looked over to his two supposed friends, who were “very much serious”, and smiled at them as if saying _ “See what you did? He’s going to kill me now!”. _

“Great!” Tom gave him another of that blinding smiles, that were very much not welcome and handsome at all, before turning and starting to leave the house. “Here.” He gave the smaller man a small and rectangular package, wrapped with a pretty red ribbon. “My present do the best father ever.” He sat at a chair nonchalantly. “What do you think of it?” He asked when he saw the surprised look at emerald-eyes. 

“How did you knew?” Harry looked to the man quickly. It was the most expensive and unreleased book of his favorite author. “How did you got it?”

“I heard you talking with Hermione the other day and remembered when Albus mentioned the party.” He let his head fell to the side. Said day had been three months ago. “Do you like it?” He completely ignored the other question.

“Of course I like it! It’s my favorite author!” Harry started to jump up and down, happy, and trying not to do something drastic like hugging Tom. “I love it, Tom! Thank you so much!”

“That’s the least I could do. You took care of my daughter all these days, and acted happy about it.” He smiled at the happy sight of Harry. “But there’s one more thing.” He took a red velvet box from a small table. “Here, the last part of the present.” He gave it to Harry, who sat beside him, curious. 

“What is it?” Harry asked, anxiously and afraid of another marvelous gift that he would never be able to match, setting the box down on his lap. 

“Open and discover.” The other man smiled. When Harry did it he saw a thin silver necklace with a symbol that he couldn’t quite decipher, it seemed to be a snake around something Harry couldn’t tell exactly what. “It means  _ protected _ .” Tom explained, enjoying the amazed look at the other’s face. “I want you to wear it, it’s kind of a charm in my family, and if you always wear it, my mind would be at ease knowing you're protected somehow.” He said softly. 

“Oh” Harry appreciated the pendant a little while longer before, slowly, putting it around his neck and fastening it. “Err… Thank you, Tom.” He looked up to the man and saw a strange glow in his blue eyes. “There was no need for it.”

“Of course, there was, I wanted to and I like you. Let me teach you a lesson, Harry…” Tom got close to him, so close Harry wanted to push the man away...definitely push and not pull him. “I always protect my beloved ones.”

Definitely, there was something wrong about Tom Marvollo Riddle. And Harry was dying to find out what.


End file.
